Content Area: Math

Grade Level: 8
Speaking & Listening
Standard: Delineate a
speakers argument and
specific claims,
evaluating the
soundness of the
reasoning and relevance
and sufficiency of the
evidence and identifying
when irrelevant
evidence is introduced.
SL.8.3

What do students need to

know?
What delineate means
What evidence can be
considered irrelevant
Transitional and introductory
words
How relevant a claim is to an
argument
What is considered sufficient
evidence
What is proper word choice in
an argument
What tone of voice is proper
when delineating an
argument

What do
students need
to be able to
do?
Delineate an
argument
Speak in a
coherent and
organized
manner
Evaluate the
soundness of
an argument
Identify
irrelevant
evidence
Use
appropriate
vocabulary to
support their
argument
Identify
charged
words
Use the
correct tone
of voice
during a
discussion

Writing Standard:

What do students need to

know?
What do students need to
know?
Know what a credible source
is
Know what a counter
argument is
Know what evidence is
Know what the structure of
opinion based writing

What do
students need
to be able to
do?

W.8.1.b

What must
students be
able to do?
Write an
argument
Reason

The individual steps to solve

a problem
Basic facts that go behind
supporting their arguments
What a logical fallacy is

logically
Show
understandin
g of concepts
Convey
themselves
through
writing
Make
cohesive
sentences
Identify when
someone is
using a
logical fallacy
Prove
something
right or wrong

Lesson Objective: Students will learn what bias is, how to identify it, and
how to avoid it

Lesson Outline and Task for the students:

Do Now: Find the median and mean of different sets of data
Display two different methods of obtaining data and have students debate
which one should be used. If not already known, define bias, and
determine which of the studies is corrupted by it. After terms have been
defined in class, hand out worksheet to students so they can refer back if
they forget what certain terms mean, or if they unsure which term they
want to use to interpret the data.
Split students up into groups of four, each group has a representative to
debate their argument. Each group is given a different situation to
evaluate, which consists of a set of statistics. Graphs of said statistics will
also be provided as a visual aid for the students. Students from other
groups can disagree after each group has presented. Must be in a critically
literate manner, displaying skills listed above. Then each group will have
to write a written response to the critique of the other groups.
As a class, come up with guidelines with how to summarize data in an
unbiased manner depending on different situations. As a class we will read
one of the articles out loud to get more of an understanding the impact

that biased statistics can have in the real world.

Summative Assessment (how will you know if students hit the objective at
the level of the standard?):
Quiz the next class on bias. There will also be an exit ticket comprised of
the following: Give a study with data, ask students to determine whether
or not it is biased. Can use multiple choice format for first question.
Second question must require them to explain their thinking using the
proper academic vocabulary. For homework students read the second
article and have to find a real life biased statistic. They have to explain
why it is biased and how the data should have been collected or measured
instead.

https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/bag-oftricks/chap10.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiE36emxdfLAhUMFR4KHSjcDbk4ChAWCB0wAQ&us
g=AFQjCNFqCleFHnyk6CZGHg5LdBjba1GJ3w
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/odds-are-itswrong&ved=0ahUKEwiE36emxdfLAhUMFR4KHSjcDbk4ChAWCCcwBA&usg=AFQjCN
HjX66bCW3UgjF3rQwGEwQjS5QyUg